Family not alone in grief
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
As the Quirit family struggles to cope with the pain of losing 12-year-old Marika, the outpouring of sympathy and support from the community is helping them heal.
Marika died in a fire that destroyed her family's Kane'ohe home early Sunday morning. The probable cause was electrical, although more tests are scheduled, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Kenison Tejada.
Marika Quirit
As word of Marika's death spread, people began to leave stuffed animals, balloons, cards and other expressions of sympathy and encouragement on a fence near the home. Two funds were established to help the Quirits rebuild their lives.
Marilyn Huihui, Marika's grandmother, said her family has been overwhelmed by the support from the community.
• Kaiser employees have set up a fund through City Bank. Checks made out to The Huihui and Quirit Recovery Fund may be mailed to or dropped off at any City Bank branch. Brenda Quirit and Linda Huihui, sisters whose families lived in the house, both work for Kaiser. • The Safeway Human Resources office has set up a fund through Bank of Hawaii. Checks made out to The Fuavasa Quirit Family Fund may be mailed to or dropped off at any Bank of Hawaii branch. Fuavasa Quirit is produce manager at the Kailua Safeway.
A man at the Kaiser clinic where Marika's mother, Brenda Quirit, works has given the family a car because their vehicles were destroyed in the fire.
Funds set up to aid families
A sheriff's department in California is collecting things for Marika's brother and a cousin who lived in the home. Someone has offered a cemetery plot for Marika. And a woman at Windward Mall walked up to Marika's aunt, Linda Huihui, and gave her $20.
What is amazing, Marilyn Huihui said yesterday, is that these people were strangers to her family until the tragedy.
"We don't know everyone who's helping and sending us things, but from the bottom of our hearts our whole family appreciates what they're doing to help," she said. "I just want to let them know that even if we don't know them by face or names, that they're still in our hearts and our love goes out to them."
Brenda Quirit and Linda Huihui, who also lived at the home, work at Kaiser, which has set up a fund through City Bank. Another fund was established through Bank of Hawaii by Safeway, where Marika's father, Fuavasa Quirit, works.
City Bank spokesman Wayne Miyao said the response so far has been "very positive."
"Many of our branches have been receiving phone calls and inquiries. People have come off the streets and are depositing funds," Miyao said.
The city medical examiner has yet to release Marika's body to her family, and funeral services are pending. Marilyn Huihui said she also is awaiting word on whether her son, Abel Jr., who is serving in Iraq, will be able to attend the services.
Reach Curtis Lum at 525-8025 or culum@honoluluadvertiser.com
